Washing-machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (Model.)

N. S. RUDDOCK. WASHING MAGHiNE.

Patented Nov. Z0;- 1888.

M47779? 3. fil/DDOC/f,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(ModeL) N.S.RUDDOOK.

WASHING MAGHINE.

Patented Nov. 20, 1888..

0 m m0 30. M W W D-Ulhdsf-IPIG Washinglom u. c.

NATHAN S. RUDDOCK, OF GRANITE FALLS, MINNESOTA.

WASHING IVlACHiNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,033, dated November20, 1888.

Application filed December 17, 1885. Serial No. 185,920. (ModcL) .To(tZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NATHAN S. Runnocn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Granite Falls, in the county of Yellow Medicine and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inXVashing- Machines; and I do declare the following tobe a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use'the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters andfigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to washing-machines, and more particularly to thatclass in which reciprocating pounders are employed.

The invention consists, first, in a novel construction of the pounders,and, second, in a novel means of mounting and operating said pounders.The invention further consists in various features and details ofconstruction hereinafter set forth and claimed. a

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of my improved machine with the sideof the tub or vat removed; Fig. 2, a top plan view; Fig. 3, aperspective view of one of the pounders; Fig. 4, avertical sectionalview of the same; Figs. 5, 6, and 7, horizontal sectional viewstaken,respectively,on the lines as my y,and z z, of Fig. 4; and Figs. 8,9, and 10, views illustrating the construction of the blocks or clamp bywhich the pounders are attached to the operating-shaft.

I desire to state that I am aware that it is not new to provide awashing-machine with reciprocating pounders so constructed as to forceair into the water and among the clothes; and hence I make no broadclaim thereto.

My machine I believe possesses advantages over those heretoforeemployed, and is found in practice to operate efficiently.

Referring again to the drawings,A indicates a tub or vat divided bymeans of an upright partition into a cleansingcompartment, B, and arinsing-compartment, O, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the" saidcompartments being each provided with spigots by which the water may bewithdrawn. Cleats a are secured to the end walls of compartment B, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, for a purpose presently to be explained, saidcleats having their lower (and preferably also their upper) facesbeveled or inclined toward the walls of the compartment in which theyare situated. In the drawings I have shown four of these cleats a,- butit is obvious that one cleat on each end wall, extending entirely acrossthe compartment, may obviously be substituted, if desired.

D indicates a shaft supported at its ends in bearings a upon the sidesof the tub and extending centrally across the compartment B, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, said shaft being provided with cranks b and I),diametrically opposite to each other. At one end the shaft is providedwith a small gear-wheel, E, which meshes with a larger gear, F, mountedupon the tub or upon an arm or bracket secured thereto. This large wheelF is provided with a handle c,as shown in Fig. 2, by which itmay beturned.

G G indicate the pounders, hereinafter fully described, which aremounted upon or attaehed to the cranks b b by means of blocks H. (Shownin Figs. 8, 9, and 10.) These blocks comprise three parts, (1, c, and f,which are secured together by means of bolts 9, extending through them,as shown, and when they are thus secured together they form an efficientconnecting device for the shaft and pounders. Theparts d e have in theiradjacent faces a horizontal semicircular groove, and the parts 6 f attheir line of meeting each have a vertical groove, as clearly shown inFig. 8, these grooves forming a bearing, h, for the shaft and an openingor socket, t, for the pounder. When the parts are applied to the shaftand the pounder, as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, and the bolts 9inserted in place, it will be seen that the pounder is not only securedrigidly within the block, but that the latter, while prevented frombecoming detached from the shaft, is capable of swinging or oscillatingthereon. By means of the bolts 9 the parts d and 6 may be made to bindupon the shaft with more or less force, and thus compensate for wear.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, the construction of thepounders will be particularly described. These poudners comprise a mainbody, j, (preferably cylindrieal,) provided with a conical mouth, k, anda cap, Z. For convenience, the upper end of the body j will be formedwith a screw-thread, upon which the cap Z screws, as shown in Figs. 3and 4; but it is obvious that any other means may be employed forretaining the cap in place. Cap Z is provided with air inlet or openingm, and against its under face rests a disk or valve, it, carried at theupper end of a spiral spring, 0, as shown in Fig. 4, said spring beingsupported by a narrow cross-bar, p, which permits air to pass uponeither side into the main body. Upon opposite sides of the main body jare vertical ducts or passages g, which communicate at their upper endswith the interior of the pounder, as shown in Fig. 4, and said passagesextend downwardly upon the outside of the conical mouth-piece 7c, andare curved or bent laterally and left open at their lower ends, as shownin Figs. 3 and 7. These passages or ducts are preferably V-shaped incross-section in order to offer as little resistance to the water aspossible; but it is apparent that their form, as well as the form incross-section of the pounders themselves, may be varied withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention. It is likewise obvious thatthe number of passages (1 may be varied. By reason of the manner ofattaching the pounders to the shaft, they will at all times occupy aninclined position, as shown in Fig. 1, and as they are raised andlowered by the rotation of shaft D their lower ends move up and downagainst the lower inclined face of the cleats a.

As the pounders are raised, the air presses the disk a downward andfills the interior of the pounders; but as soon as the latter begintheir downward motion the disk awill close the air-inlet m,and the airwithin the pounder will be forced through the passages q and dischargedinto the water from the lower ends thereof. 13y reason of the lowerendsof the passages being bent or curved laterally, as

. shown, the water is prevented from being forced directly up into themas the pounders are reeiprocated in a vertical plane.

The forcible discharge of air at the lower ends of the pounders assistsin agitating the water and aidsmaterially in the cleansing operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combinationwith a compartment, as B, provided on two of its opposing faces withcleats a a, beveled,as shown, a cranked shaft, 1), located directlyabove the compartment ]3, pounders G G, applied directly to said shaft,

\ all substantially as shown, and means for imparting motion to shaft D,whereby the machine is adapted to be run backward or for ward, asdesired.

2. In combination with a compartment, as B, provided on two of its innerfaces with beveled cleats a a, a cranked shaft, I), located direetlyabove the compartment, pounders G G depending from the cranks oftheshaft, agearwheel, E, secured uponthe end of shaft D,and a gear-wheel,F, mounted upon the tub to mesh with wheel E.

3. In a washing-machine, the pounder G, comprising a hollow main body,j, having a perforated cap, Z, an inwardly-opening valve, n, to closethe perforation in the cap, and external air duets or passages, q,communicating at their upper ends with the main body and open at theirlower ends, the main body of the poundcr being free from obstructions ofany kind.

4. In a pounder for washing'machines, the combination, with the mainbodyj and valve 02, of the external air-ducts, q, communicating at theirupper ends with the interior of the pounder and curved or bent laterallyat'their lower ends, which are open, all substantially as shown.

5. Incombinationwiththehollowmainbody j, provided at its upper end witha threaded neck and with a cross bar, 19, a threaded cap, Z, providedwith an opening, m,a valve, 1

a, adapted to close the opening, a spring, 0, to hold the valve to itsseat, and external airducts, q, communicating at their upper ends withthe interior of the hollow body j, all substantially as shown.

6. The hereindescribed clothes pounder, comprising a hollow body, j,provided with an inlet-valve at its upper end and with externalair-ducts, q, communicating at their upper ends with the interior of thehollow body.

7. In combination with the ponnder G, having the hollow body j, conicalmouth-piece k, and inlet-valve a, the external air-duets, q,communieating at their upper ends with the hollow body and having theirlower open ends bent or curved laterally upon the outside of the conicalmouth-piece.

8. In apoundcr for use in washingmachincs, the combination,with a hollowbody provided at its upper end with an inwardly opening valve, of anexternal air-duet (one or more) communicating at its upper end with theinterior of the hollow body, and having a lateral discharge-orifice, allsubstantially as shown.

9. In combination with a tub, a crank-shaft, and a pounder, a three-partblock, as 11, connecting the pounder to the shaft, and means foroperating the shaft, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NATHAN S. RUDDOOK.

lVitnesses: GORHAM .Powltns, t. F. J. Onnssv.

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